Contestants competed for prizes in three categories - Residential Kitchen, Residential Other, and Commercial. Seven projects were chosen for recognition this year by a team of expert judges. Judging was based on one basic criterion: demonstrating the "quality use” of PureBond hardwood plywood in a design and fabrication project.

This kitchen by Ruffino Cabinetry of Fort Myers, Florida, won top honors in the Residential Kitchen category of the 2017 PureBond Quality Awards.

Winners in the 2017 competition included shops in both United States and Canada:

Provincial Woodworkers, Ltd. of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, took the top prize in the Commercial category with a project involving lobbies and corridors at a condominium project.

“The PQA competition is a way for us to recognize the exceptional work being produced by our PureBond Fabricator Network members,” said Todd Vogelsinger, Columbia Forest Products’ director of marketing. “We’ve forged strong partnerships with woodworking operations all across North America who build quality custom installations and furnishings for residential and commercial clients using our beautiful and formaldehyde-free PureBond brand of hardwood plywood, and it’s important to share the amazing work they do with it every day.”

Judges for this year’s competition included: C.T. ‘Kip’ Howlett, Jr., president of the Hardwood Plywood & Veneer Association (HPVA); Ang Schramm, a 45-year veteran of the building materials industry and author of “A Complete Guide to Hardwood Plywood and Face Veneer”; Dr. Katherine Swank, chairperson of the Department of Interior Design & Merchandising in the College of Health & Human Performance at East Carolina University; Chip Wade, woodworking specialist and popular HGTV personality.

Columbia's formaldehyde-free PureBond technology was developed by Columbia Forest Products in conjunction with scientists at Oregon State University. The first PureBond hardwood plywood panels were produced in 2005. Since then, more than 90 million panels have been shipped.

Columbia says the PureBond formaldehyde-free technology can be a “market differentiator for woodshops that cater to health-conscious and environmentally-aware clients.” Nearly 900 fabricators have joined the PureBond Fabricator Network.

The PureBond Quality Awards competition will be held again in 2018. To join the PureBond Fabricator Network and become eligible to compete in the next PQA competition, click or tap here.

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About the Author:

William Sampson

William Sampson is a lifelong woodworker, and he has been an advocate for small-scale entrepreneurs and lean manufacturing since the 1980s. He was the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine in the early 1990s and founded WoodshopBusiness magazine, which he eventually sold and merged with CabinetMaker magazine. He helped found the Cabinet Makers Association in 1998 and was its first executive director. Today, as editor of FDMC magazine he has more than 20 years experience covering the professional woodworking industry. His popular "In the Shop" tool reviews and videos appear monthly in FDMC.